Proving Ground
by DruidGeode
Summary: This story starts out at the end of sixth year at Hogwarts. It details an alternative to the way the last year might have played out. I'm letting the story tell itself, so I don't know exactly what all will happen or where the story will take me.
1. Heartbreak

"Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this story. They are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling only, this story is simply my own flights of fancy inspired by my imagination combined with that of my friends and family who have helped me in creating our own private RPG set in the Harry Potter universe, years after the series ended. This fanfic partially describes how our own characters in our RPG came to be."

PLEASE Review, every review helps me make the next chapter better. I am a new writer and I welcome any advice on how I may become a better writer.

"You know I love you, and I'll never love another woman after you, but every minute we are together raises the chances you'll be killed to get to me. I'm sorry, but this has to end now." says Harry with tears pouring down his cheeks.

"But Harry, isn't it my choice whether or not to take that chance? Shouldn't I have a say in what danger I'm willing to face to be with the man I love?" wailed Ginny.

"No, I couldn't live with myself if they killed you because of me. This is the last time you will see me until you can accept that we are over, at least until the threat is gone." and with that statement he pulled his father's cloak around his shoulders and walked out of the room, practically running because he knew he would not be able to hold his resolve in the face of Ginny crying.

He had always hated to see her cry, and to be the cause of it was even worse than he had imagined it might be. He ran all the way to his room and collapsed on his bed, unable to bear it any longer. He didn't know how long he lay there crying, unaware of the world around him, until he finally noticed there was someone there stroking his hair, gently shushing him and trying to comfort him. He looked up through his tear-streaked glasses to see Neville's face, twisted in sorrow, trying to comfort him.

"Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to, but I'm here if you need someone."

And without knowing why, Harry told him everything, about how he and Ginny had started dating, how she had been his first, how much he loved Ginny and how he had been forced to break her heart to save her life.

"Can you imagine how it feels to know you were the cause of that much pain to someone you love so much?" asked Harry as he finshed explaining it all.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I haven't been through it yet but I expect I will before too long."

"What? With who? I didn't know you were even dating anyone yet!" exclaimed Harry. "Come on, who is it?"

Neville mumbled something indistinguishable.

"What? I couldn't hear you!"

"I said Luna Lovegood, OK?" said Neville softly but fiercely.

Harry was a bit taken aback, not only by his choice of girls, but by the vehemence in Neville's voice.

"Oh, ok. She's always seemed really nice, is she good to you?"

"The best. We've bonded on so many levels, I just know she's my soulmate."

Harry was a bit taken aback. He hadn't expected that level of feeling between Neville and Luna so soon, but he wasn't about to comment on that considering the depths of his own feelings for Ginny.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Neville.

"I have to leave. Tonight." Harry explained decisively.

"WHAT?! Where are you going? Why do you have to leave tonight?" Neville exclaimed.

"Because every minute I stay brings that much more danger to everyone that I care about here, and I can't bear to see any more deaths on my behalf. I'm going to hunt down the rest of HIS horcruxes" Harry explained hurriedly as he packed the few meager belongings he felt might be of use in hunting down the items that kept Voldemort from dying for good.

"And you think you're going alone, to face down the greatest dark wizard of our time again and again. Who do you think you're kidding? The whole DA will come with you and we'll nail...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... to the wall, and then put him into a permanent grave. Together." said Neville with that stubborn look that said he would not be swayed.

"Yea, right. I'm going traipsing around the country, hiding from everyone, trying to find and destroy artifacts that have been kept hidden and safe for years, and I'm going to accomplish this while being followed around by fifty underage witches and wizards who havent even finished school, some of whom can't even perform a simple cushioning charm. Right, that'll work great." Harry sniped sarcastically.

"Well, at least I'm coming with you, and you can't stop me either, not since you taught me how to deflect hexes in the DA. You need SOMEONE with you to watch your back and make sure you come back in one piece - How else will you be able to get any sleep at night?"

Harry thought about this for a minute as he finished packing. Unfortunately, he did have a point. Harry DID need someone with him, if only to stand guard while he slept and keep him company so he didn't go insane from loneliness.

"Alright, you can come with me, but only if you pack fast, and don't tell anyone a thing. Noone can know where we are going or what we are doing, and you won't be able to talk to hardly anyone till we are done. Those are my conditions, take it or leave it."

With barely a word Neville started packing as fast as his wand could move.

"Fine, I'm almost ready."


	2. Sending Help

"You know that Harry is going to decide he has to leave tonight. He won't allow me to go with him. And do you REALLY think that Neville will let him go alone? Come on Luna, we have to send SOMEONE more experienced with them." said Ginny exasperatedly.

"But who? If he isn't taking Ron and Hermione he must have a reason, and besides, I don't know where either of them are right now." said Luna.

"It has to be someone he knows and trusts, or he'll never let them get close. Who did Harry ever talk to that wasn't in his year? I know he talked to Cedric Diggory, but, well... you know..." Ginny stuttered to a halt.

"What about Oliver Wood? He was Harry's quidditch captain since first year, and he's still out at the quidditch pitch capturing some 'last good memories' of Hogwarts - I'll bet there's noone closer to Harry besides Ron and Hermione." Luna suggested.

"Hey! Great idea! Let's go catch him, so we can get him to catch them before Harry leaves since I have no clue when he will realize he has to go to keep his promise to me." Ginny exclaimed excitedly as she started to dash off towards the pitch.

"Hey, wait for me!" Luna cried, struggling to catch up.

Together, they run across the school all the way to the quidditch pitch, just in time to see Oliver streak acroos the pitch from one end to the other with a shriek of glee.

"Oliver!" Ginny shouted. "Hey, Oliver, need to talk to you!"

A minute later Oliver touched down in front of the girls. "Wotcher Ginny, Luna. Whatcha need?"

"It's Harry, he needs your help bad." Ginny said bluntly "His life might depend on it."

"Name it, I owe him so much already, just tell me what I can do to help save him." Oliver said, suddenly dead serious, somehow catching the dire nature of their request without quite knowing what they needed.

"Harry is going to try to take off tonight or tomorrow to go after ... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named ... by himself, or maybe with Neville, we aren't sure yet. Um, I was kinda thinking, umm,"

"That since I'm the only older student he ever really talked to he might trust me to go along and help, and he won't take you cause it's too dangerous, right?" Oliver finished for her.

"Well, when you put it that way," Ginny began.

"Yes, that's EXACTLY it." Luna interrupted her.

"Just tell me where to find him. I can't let him go after... HIM by himself, and Neville really isn't the backup I would choose for The Boy Who Lived." Oliver said as he picked up his bag and broomstick.

"Gryffindor tower, most likely, but I don't know how long it'll be before he decides to go."

And without a word Oliver headed for the school at a rather fast walk, going over what to pack and take with him as he went.


	3. The Knight In Dubious Armor

Oliver trotted quickly up to the Gryffindor Tower where he had spent so many happy moments in his time at school. It was great to be asked back as a guest for the house cup, and even better to be allowed to stay for the last few days of school, but to be asked to be the personal savior of The Boy Who Lived? It was just mind-boggling.

As he rounded the last few steps towards the boy's dormitory he pondered what to say, how to include himself in whatever 'outing' Harry was planning now. Just as he reached for the doorknob he thought he heard the sound of voices. 'Maybe if I'm lucky they'll give me just the opening I need.' he thought to himself. Then he schooled himself to stand there and listen silently till he found his opening.

.

"Got everything? Are you all set to leave? I want to get out of here before Ginny realizes what I'm doing and sends Ron or Hermione up here to slow me down or stop me from going. I'm the only one who can stop him, so I can't let them stop me." Harry asked hurriedly. 'Because if Ron or Hermione comes in before we go, there's no way I'll be able to stop them from coming with.' Harry thought to himself

Neville started to respond "All set, just let me grab my"

When all of a sudden the door to their room flew open with a bang, and in strode Oliver, hands on hips and shoulders thrown back.

"Did I hear something about leaving?" Oliver asked with a sly grin.

"What? No! What are you talking about? What are you doing here?" Harry and Neville stumbled over each other trying to deny the fact of their leaving, while trying to stand in front of their packed chests without being too obvious about it.

"Oh, come on Harry, packed chests, that invisibility cloak hanging on the end of the bed, and I HEARD what you said right before I walked in. Just where do you think you are going to go? Come on, after all these years, can't you trust me that much?" Oliver said with a rather poor attempt at a pout.

Harry and Neville looked at each other quickly, Neville with a worried frown, and Harry with an odd look that Neville couldn't quite figure out.

'What is he thinking? Is that anger in his eyes? Oh no, how do I tell him I didn't say anything to anyone?' Neville almost started to hyperventilate with nervousness while the silence stretched on and on, seemingly infinite.

Harry open his mouth, closed it, opened it again, closed it again. He almost looked like a fish out of water. He stopped and looked again at Neville.

'Just tell him! Ask him to come with us!' Neville tried to beg with his eyes, hoping against hope that the message somehow got through to Harry.

Harry looked again at Oliver, and seemed to finally make up his mind.

"Oliver, you know I have always had the greatest repect for you, but no matter what you say, I have to do this. I heard the prophecy myself. I'm the only one who can stop him. I have to go after him and end this once and for all. I am tired of everyone I care about being targeted, tortured and killed. I have to stop it and you can't stop me. I'm sorry, but it has to end." Harry finally said in a rush.

Oliver stepped back with a stunned look on his face. He had never seen Harry like this before, so angry, so adamant!

"Who said anything about stopping you? What if I wanted to go with you?" Oliver said, adapting quickly on his feet.

"WHAT?!" Harry and Neville both said nearly simultaneously.


	4. Departure

"I mean it. I heard what you said, and little as I like the idea of you going out there on your own, before you've even finished school, you're right. According to the prophecy, you are the only one who can end this. So, I can either tery and stop you, and wind up with you going out alone some other time and getting killed, or I can come along and try to keep you alive long enough to finish this." Oliver explained.

Harry looked over at Neville questioningly. Neville shrugged his shoulders and gave a tiny nod, trying to encourage the idea without seeming to give Harry orders.

'What do I do?' Harry wondered to himself. 'He is a bit older, and having him along would probably help a lot, but how will Ron and Hermione take it if I take both Neville and Oliver with me and leave them behind? I know they'll feel betrayed, heck, so would I if the situation was reversed. But I already told Neville he could come, and having Oliver along WOULD help a lot.'

Neville watched Harry struggling with himself. He could almost see the wheels turning in Harry's head. 'What is he going to do? I hope he lets Oliver come along, but how do I suggest it without being bossy?' Neville wondered to himself.

"Neville," Harry began, then stopped, at a loss for how to say what was on his mind. How did he ask Neville to stay without risking the loss of a great friend?

He started again. "Neville, you know how close I am to Ron and Hermione. What do you think they will think when they realize I've gone without them? How do you think they'd feel if they realized I took you and not them?" Harry wound down as he watched Neville face, trying to figure out how he was taking it.

"Yeah, I see where your going. You want me to stay here and just take Oliver with you, right?" Neville said. Then, seeing the pain in Harry's eyes he quickly continued. "It's ok, I understand, really I do. Just, you know, what do you want me to say? I'm not going to lie, even if I wanted to you know I'm no good at it, Hermione can always tell when I'm lying."

"Well, can you hide out up here till tomorrow, then explain to them that I only took Oliver because he caught me trying to leave and insisted on coming along. Tell them that I did to you the same thing Hermione did first year and that's why you didn't come tell them sooner. If they ask why I didn't take them, it's because I don't want to put anyone else at risk. I've lost enough people I care about." Harry offered.

Neville thought about it for a minute. It almost sounded plausible, except for the fact that last year in the DA Harry and Hermione had made him almost an expert at shield charms. Still, it wasn't quite true, and Hermione would almost certainly catch him and figure it out.

"It sounds like it might work, but what if Hermione catches the lie that you didn't really do that to me? Especially after how much work you and her did to help me get so good at the shield charm last year." Neville said, almost apologetically.

Harry thought about this for a minute, tapping his chin wih his wand as he thought about that. He did have a point, but how to fix it? Neville never could lie to Hermione.

"Petrificus totalus" Harry cried without warning, Neville stiiffened and toppled forwards.

'Oh lord, not again!' Neville thought bleakly.

Harry shrugged apologetically. "You were right, you never could lie to Hermione. Now you don't have to. You just tell her that you were telling me how you couldn't lie to her and I just hit you out of the blue and didn't give you time to see it coming. This way you won't have to lie and I still get away without having to drag her and Ron into the line of fire with me. Now when it wears off you can go to Ron and Hermione and tell them what happened. I'll leave a new version of the DA coins we used last year so that we can communicate when it wears off. I'm really sorry, but this is the only way I could think of to keep you from getting chewed out by Ron and Hermione right away." 'And this way I can tell him where to meet me if I realize I need more help down the line' Harry thought to himself.

"I'm sorry Oliver, but I don't have any more time to spare. I hope you have everything you need because I have to leave now." Harry said hurriedly.

'Wow, what a change.' Oliver thought to himself. Harry had grown a lot more forceful, and Oliver now realized that Harry had become the bravest person he knew. To do that to one of his best friends, and one of his staunchest backers without even seeming the slightest bit fearful of his friends reaction. 'Balls of steel' he thought. 'I hope I never get on his bad side.'

"Yea, I got everything I need right here. I'm ready to go whenever you are." Oliver said with just the slightest hesitation.

"Then let's go." Harry said as he wedged his trunk into the bookbag he'd borrowed from Hermione after seeing how much it could hold, and walked out the door. Oliver trailied behind, shooting Neville an apologetic look as he left the room.


End file.
